An Impasse
by guitarcrash
Summary: Professor Vector doesn’t attend Arithmancy. The class is idle, and Draco is caught staring. What’s a guy to do? DMHG. Oneshot. AU. Seventh Year.


**Title: An Impasse**

**Rating: PG**

**Summary: Professor Vector doesn't attend Arithmancy. The class is idle, and Draco is caught staring. What's a guy to do? DMHG. Oneshot. AU. Seventh Year.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. **

Gray light from the cloud-strewn sky shone in through the open windows of the Arithmancy classroom; it made her look paler than she really was, sitting there in her desk, pensive. Her long, dark, hair cascaded down her back, and her fringe covered a large part of her face - but she didn't seem to care. She seemed oblivious to the tumult that her classmates made and continued staring intensely at the serene lake outside, with her chin in her hand. Professor Vector had not yet arrived, and many of the students assumed Peeves to be involved. She would usually keep to herself during Arithmancy (since she was the only Gryffindor taking the class), and would only speak when it was absolutely necessary (that is, for recitation), but it strangely felt as though she was even more silent than usual.

He had been watching her - sneaking glances every now and then. He was tall, with a seeker's built, and many of the girls in class would say that he was even handsome with his light, messy boyish hair. He pretended to listen as Pansy talked to the group animatedly about something he did not quite catch -his mind was preoccupied with watching the bookworm- though he'd utter a few rights and hmms every now and then to keep up the act. He hadn't understood completely why he formed the habit of watching Gryffindor's poster girl over the past couple of weeks (it was unbecoming of Slytherin's poster boy), but one thing was certain, he observed her well enough to know that something was off.

The two had never really talked to each other, not that they actually tried. Granger would always walk to the next classroom by herself, or with her two bafoons, but always distancing herself from the rest of the class, sometimes with a book in hand as she walked. On the other hand, Draco would always be surrounded by _his_ group of frie—followers, and unlike Hermione he didn't detest the attention. It had been that way since the very start, and yet, even with the large gap that seemed to keep them miles apart, Draco admitted that Hermione made him curious unlike anything, or any_one_ ever before.

She was still looking out the window. _I wonder what she's thinking of_, thought Draco as he blocked out the shrill laughter of Pansy. He had never really thought of Hermione as pretty- heck, there were even more breath-taking girls in their year, _but_ there was just something about her- maybe the way she always fought back, or how she seemed to detest anything to do with him - he wasn't really sure. Hermione was like a lock he couldn't break, and it was bothering him _immensely_. He had just realized that he was openly staring, so he tried to pay attention again to the conversation; he shouldn't act so recklessly, what if people noticed?

The Slytherins then all started to laugh loudly, so Draco decided to laugh along; the ruckus hadn't fazed her though. Draco ran his hand through his messy hair, a mannerism he had acquired through the years, and his gaze landed back on the back of Granger's head. He gave up trying not to look. She was, after all, facing the window; he doubted that she would catch him looking. _It wouldn't hurt to look_...

But, boy was he wrong.

Hermione turned her head at that moment, and her soft brown eyes met Draco's - as if to say _I know you've been staring, stop it_. It only lasted for a second though, and before he had any time to react, Hermione stood up from her seat, rucksack in hand, and walked calmly out the classroom.

"Shit," he cursed to himself.

The tall boy beside him noticed his distress. "Anything wrong, Draco?" Blaise asked with apparent curiosity.

_Like I'd tell you, that. _"I just remembered that I still have that Potions essay to do," he lied, "and if I don't pass another requirement, Professor Snape might just think of telling father." Draco feigned anxiety.

Blaise wasn't convinced, but he let it go.

Draco stood up and left the group without a word, and headed for the door._Where could that girl be going?_

"Where're you going, Draco?" asked Pansy in a whiny voice, as he was just about to step out of the classroom, the rest of the Slytherins seemed to have the same sentiments.

"Elsewhere," he replied casually, "I need some fresh air – I doubt Vector'll be coming any time soon." _Well, I hope._

"Oh, okay then," Pansy replied, a bit disappointed.

"But don't get lost, okay?" One of the other girls, Daphne Greengrass chided, and was followed by laughter from her peers.

Draco finally escaped the confines of the Arithmancy classroom, but he wasn't certain where to go. The hallway was almost empty, with the exception of a few wanderers that he had curtly nodded to as they passed. He was walking at a snail-pace speed, hands in his pockets, trying to impress a non-existing audience.

He reached the end of the hallway, and went down the stairs till he reached the ground floor, and made way through the oak front doors. It had been much quieter inside the castle; Draco was barraged with noise coming from the direction of Hagrid's hut. _What other abominations can that giant have?_

He quickly diverted from that path and redirected his course to the lake, which surface was broken by the Giant Squid's tentacle. It looked deserted from afar, but as Draco came nearer, he was able to see a figure lying near the edge of the lake, and of course he already knew whom it was. _Of all places…_

On a normal day, he would've turned back, face the ominous conversation with his fellow Slytherins instead – but he had decided against it. He had already embarrassed himself by getting caught staring – _nothing can get worse than that_, he countered his hesitation. And so he continued walking.

Hermione was very still when he finally reached where she lay, not seeming to notice his arrival. Her eyes were closed, and Draco would've thought she was dead hadn't it been for the slow rise and fall of her chest.

_Should I disturb her?_ She looked so peaceful, resting there. _But then again, this will get me nowhere._ "Ahem." He hoped that was enough to get her attention.

Hermione's eyes flickered open, still facing the sky. And then almost too slowly, she turned her head to face him.

"Hi," he greeted awkwardly, instantly regretting barging in on her. "I –uh, I—"

"Hello, Malfoy," she cut him short, with a look Draco couldn't quite put his finger on. Her face showed no signs of annoyance, no surprise, nothing.

He breath got caught in his throat. It was the first time; apart from the times they had sparred, for him to hear her call him by his, well, _last_ name – in actual conversation nonetheless.

"I hope you wouldn't mind my asking," she continued, "but are you stalking me?"

Now,_that_ was a surprise. "What?"

"Are - you - stalk - ing -me?" she asked in a tone that one would use on a 5 year old.

"I heard you the first time," he retorted. "_Stalking_? What made you think that?"

"Following me here, for one." Hermione smirked, seeing Draco fidget. "And then there's Potions, Ancient Runes, Defense Against the Dark Arts— well, you get the point." Her smirk had faded, and she now held that unreadable face once again.

_I can't be _that_ obvious—can I? _"I wouldn't call it stalking. I'd call it… prolonged observation." It was Draco's turn to smirk. "Keep you friends close—"

"—And your enemies closer," Hermione continued.

She let out a short, hollow laugh. Draco couldn't decipher if it was real.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"You are."

"Oh."

It was silent for a while, and Hermione seemed to have lost interest in the conversation, since she went back to lying down.

"What're you doing?" Draco asked while about to sit down on the grass, his arms resting on his knees. The conversation had not progressed the way he wanted it to.

"Resting," her reply was short- slow and lazy.

"I can see that," he said, not wanting to give up talking just yet. "But why here? It looks like it's about to rain." He was right. The sky _was_ getting darker.

"It isn't raining yet, isn't it? And I don't know about you, but_I'd_ rather be resting now, than on a hot, sunny day."

"Right—still though, you look like someone who could use a bit of sun," he grinned.

"So I've been told."

Hermione's face relaxed, giving Draco a glimpse of a half-smile on her lips. There was a cool breeze, making the trees on the other side of the lake sway. It was peaceful, and Draco wanted no more than to make time stand still, stay resting near the lake forever. It was a long shot, but maybe if he wished hard enough, then just _maybe_, some sort of miracle would happen. _What am I thinking? _But as he watched Hermione more closely, there was a part of him that just longed to get to know her. _Really._

And suddenly, he felt more daring. "I think you're interesting, y'know," he blurted out of nowhere, gripping at his knees, not being able to look directly at the petite girl. The clump of grass near his shoe became very interesting at that moment. He was forced to look up at the sound of Hermione's laughter, like a soft ringing, high and unwarranted. She was clutching her sides from the laughter, as if he'd said a really good joke.

_What the hell did I just do? She's laughing at me. Oh hell. Damn my spur of the moment stupidities. _The laughing had subsided, and Hermione sighed heavily. For that entire 5 minutes or so, Draco had not spoken. She twisted to her side to face him, resting her head on her fist. She was _grinning._

"Funny coincidence we have here. 'Cause you see," she paused shortly, "I think you're interesting you, too." _What?_ Draco couldn't believe his ears. He had been preparing himself for the worst—and this was just uncalled for.

Hermione continued, still with that cheshire cat smile. "Oh, don't act surprised. You're _Draco Malfoy_. Harry's enemy – therefore by association, my enemy as well; the epitome of all things Slytherin; and _badass_ by nature." She had made _badass_ sound as if joking, while she brushed off a few stray locks of hair.

"And you're Hermione Granger. Best friend of my enemy, therefore my enemy as well; Gryffindor's pride and joy; and a goody two shoes by heart." Draco had said it without malice, but with a strange calm.

Hermione sighed, as though something was weighing her down. "And that's where we find ourselves stuck. At an impasse, so to speak," she said, pulling herself up to a sitting position. "The things that make us interesting are the things that make _us_," she pointed at him and herself, "absurd, unthinkable." Hermione smiled sadly at him.

Draco was rendered quiet. It took him a while to say, "But we could try."

Hermione looked pensive. "Not all things you want," she paused, "you can have. –I'm afraid we're at a stalemate. No matter what move we make, we'll always end up at a deadlock."

It was quiet. The only sound being was the rustle of the trees, and the soft rippling of the lake. Draco didn't know what to say. He just wanted to hold on to this small moment of peace, make it last a bit longer. But then, _not all things you want you can have._

"I have to go to my next class now. I'd rather not have Professor Mcgonagall kill me." Hermione stood up, straightening her skirt. "Good bye, _Malfoy_," she said, looking him in the eye. It could have been just a trick of the grey skies, but he could've sworn there was something like regret in her eyes.

"Yes. Good bye, _Granger."_

With that she walked off, back to the castle. Leaving Draco behind—forever.

**A/N: I hope you guys like this one. I tried my hardest to make it as melancholic as possible; hope I was able to deliver. Please review and tell me what you think. Oh yeah, Merry Christmas.**


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